Electric cars have 40 per cent less range when the temperature dips below freezing, new research has revealed.

During the polar vortex that gripped the US last week the American Automobile Association (AAA) tested five electric cars to see how they performed.

The BMW i3s, Chevrolet Bolt, the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S and the VW eGolf performed far worse that during balmy weather.

It also found that high temperatures can cut into battery range, but not nearly as much as the cold.

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Cold temperatures can sap electric car batteries, temporarily reducing their range by more than 40 percent when interior heaters are used, a new study found. Here, a Telsa Model 3 car recharges at a Tesla charging station at Cochran Commons shopping center in Charlotte

Many owners of vehicles made by electric vehicle manufacturers including Tesla, complained on social media about reduced range and frozen door handles.

Under ideal conditions, each car had a range of at least 100 miles (160km) per charge. Under usual conditions, the range returns to normal.

However, it appears that cold temperatures are not 'ideal' conditions, as the researchers discovered.

They were tested on a dynamometer, which is like a treadmill, in a climate-controlled cell.

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The automobile club tested the cars at 20°F (-6°C) and 95°F (35°C) comparing the range to when they were tested at 75°F (25°C), according to the report.

At 20°F (-6°C), the average driving range fell by 12 per cent when the car's cabin heater was not used. When the heater was turned on, the range dropped by 41 per cent, AAA said.

At 95°F (35°C), range dropped 4 per cent without use of air conditioning, and fell by 17 per cent when the cabin was cooled, the study found.

When the temperature tumbled to 20°(-6°C) last week in Hickory, North Carolina, near Charlotte, Jason Hughes noticed the range fall when he drove his Tesla Model 3 on the commute from home to work.

AAA tested the BMW i3s, Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf from the 2018 model year, and the 2017 Tesla Model S 75D and Volkswagen e-Golf. All have a range of at least 100 miles per charge. They were tested on a dynamometer, which is like a treadmill, in a climate-controlled cell

'It would easily use double the amount of power for that 15-mile trip,' said Mr Hughes, who owns four Teslas.

'As long as drivers understand that there are limitations when operating electric vehicles in more extreme climates, they are less likely to be caught off guard by an unexpected drop in driving range,' Greg Brannon, AAA's director of automotive engineering, said in a statement.

The cars use energy to heat the battery coolant in cold weather, as well as for heating the cabin, Hughes said.

WHAT ARE TESLA SUPERCHARGERS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

Tesla has created a Supercharger network around the world that allows its electric vehicles to power up for long distance travel.

Prices of using the service vary across the world, and they can be found here.

To charge a Tesla, drivers park and plug in their vehicle using the connector at the Supercharger post.

Tesla has created a Supercharger network around the world that allows its electric vehicles to power up for long distance travel

Once plugged in, the vehicle's charge port will flash green to indicate that charging has started.

The chargers allow Tesla owners to recharge their cars to 80 per cent within half an hour.

The firm currently has more than 1,200 Supercharger Stations with 9,800 Superchargers across the globe.

It plans to increase that to 10,000 by the end of this year.

Range would take a hit mainly for short trips, and the decrease wouldn't be as large on longer trips once the battery and cabin are heated, Hughes said.

'It's definitely an issue,' he said. 'If you want to go somewhere far in the cold, you're going to be using more power.'

Range would be reduced further by extreme cold in northern states, he said.

AAA says electric cars can still be used in extreme climates but recommends that drivers heat or cool their cars while still plugged in to a charging station.

A Tesla Spokesperson told MailOnline:

'Based on real-world data from our fleet, which includes millions of long trips taken by real Model S customers, we know with certainty that, even when using heating and air conditioning, the average Model S customer doesn't experience anywhere near that decrease in range at 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and the decrease in range at 95 degrees Fahrenheit is roughly 1%.'

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Cold weather can cut an electric car's range by more than 40% study of five vehicles reveals